Bob-sled.



N. s. DOOLITTLE.

BOB SLED. APPLICATION FILED JAN.26,1909.

amine Moe Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

flttowws a N; S DOOLITTLB BOB SLED.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN.26,1909. 91 7,755 Patented Apr. 13, 1909. ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

fillgiliu ner and by means of a NATHANIEL S. DOOLITTLE, OF KENT, OHIO.

BOB-SLED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Application filed. January 26, 1909. Serial No. 474,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL S. Doo- LITTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kent, in the county of Portage and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bob-Sleds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sleds, and has especial reference to certain peculiar novel features for application both to heavy bob sleds and also to small hand sleds.

The subject-matter of this invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the running gear of the bob sled; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the front bob, and Figs. 4 and 5 are side and plan views respectively of the structure adapted for a hand or coasting sled.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring particularly to those figures in which the bob sled is illustrated, it will be noted that the runners are formed in a peculiar manner, each comprising a bar or plate of metal 10, highly arched intermediate of its ends, where it is detachably connected to the main bolster. At its forward end the runner is curved upwardly in the usual manner and is provided with a slot 10. A draft rod 11, constituting a brace for the vertical legs 12 and 13 of the runner and to which it is permanently connected by any suitable means as by lock nuts 11, terminates at its forward end in a hook 14 which lies Within said slot 10, but leaving an eye on the outside of the runner. The bolster 15 of the front bob is provided with a pair of studs 16 for each runner associated therewith. Said studs project into holes 16 at the top of the bend of the runner and are for the purpose of preventing displacement of the runner from the bolster. Each runner is detachably secured in place against the bottom of the bolster and in cooperation with said studs by means of brackets 17 connected to the bolster by lag bolts or in any other suitable manpivot bolt 18 passed through said brackets 17 and beneath the under surface of the top of the arch in proximity to the lower ends of the studs 16. By this arrangement each runner is permitted a certain amount of pivotal movement in its vertical plane, where by it may rock or tilt when passing over obstructions or rough places independently of the other runners. It is proposed that the bracket 17 and other connections above described will be sufficiently strong and rigid to overcome ordinary lateral strains. If, however, it is found necessary to provide additional lateral brace, the same may be accomplished by inserting a flanged plate 19 between the legs 12 and 13 to which it will be rigidly secured and on about the horizontal plane of the hooked end of the draft bar 11. Said plate 19 will be provided with a vertical hole 19 through which a brace 20 is passed and provided with a usual nut. The other end of the brace 20 will be connected to an eye bolt 21 suitably spaced on the bottom of the bolster. This bracing connection will not interfere with the aforesaid pivotal mounting of the runners, the pivot of the brace and eye-bolt being substantially in alinement with the pivot bolt 18.

The foregoing description of the front bob or runners in general terms is applicable to the rear box, except that the rear bolster 15 will preferably be provided with only one stud 16 for each runner, inasmuch as the rear runners are not subjected to so much lateral twisting or strain as the front runners. The front bolster 15 will be connected preferably to the upper bolster 22 by the usual king bolt and connected to said upper bolster are one or more reaches 23 having adjustable connection through the rear bolster 15, in olrder to elongate or shorten the length of the s ed.

Each pair of runners it will be seen from the foregoing is provided with a pair of forwardly projecting hooks. Those hooks of the front bob receive the usual draft tongue 24, the same being rovided with hooks 24 for engagement wit the aforesaid eyes or hooks 14. The arrangement and form of the hooks 14 with relation to the cross bar and hooks 24 of the tongue are such that in order to attach or detach the tongue from the bob it is necessary to detach one runner from the bolster 15. This is readily effected by simply withdrawing the brace 20 if used and the bolt 18. To attach the tongue one of its hooks 24 will be engaged with the hook 14 of the stationary runner, the tongue being turned at right angles to the runner for such purpose, and "then the tongue is brought around to its proper position.

ing it at right an les to the tongue for engagement with t e other hook 24', after which it is returned to its place and con nected to the bolster. This manner of as sembling the tongue is exceedingly simple and yet effective. Furthermore, the draft being directly through the rods 11 is brought well down toward the bottom of the runners, at the most desirable point. The manner of assembling the tongue to the front bob is precisely the same as that for assembling the connecting means for the rear bob with the roller 25. The roller 25 is connected by means of bars 26 and a chain 27 adjustable through a key hole slot 28 in a plate 28 connected. to the upper front bolster.

Should it be found desirable in any instance to close the gap formed in each runner between the legs 12 and 13 thereof it may be accomplished by introducinga plate 29 provided with angle irons 30 rigidly connected thereto and attachable to the aforesaid legs 12 and 13 as by bolts. The plate 29 is prefably of the same width as the metal of the runners, but may be of lighter material if desired. The ends of the plate are notched as at 29 to receive and embrace the ends of shoes 31 on the bottoms of the runners.

In the adaptation of this invention to a hand or coasting sled practically all of the foregoing features of construction obtain. In this form of the invention, however, there is provided a suitable form of steering apparatus comprising a lever 32 having a vertical pivot connection to the seat board 33. The pivot 34 of such connection has connected to its lower end a cross head 35, having rods connecting its ends with the ends of the front bolster 15. The rear bob is connected in substantially the same manner as that described in connection with the bob sled construction. 1

Many minor details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter claimed.

The loose runner is then applied to the tongue by turm- Having thus described the invention, what is cl imeda's' new 1s:

1. In a sled, the comblnation of front and rear-bobs, eac'lrcomprising a bolster and a pair of runners, each runner being formed of "metal highly arched intermediate of its ends "and pivotally connected to its bolster for movement independent of the other runner,

such pivotal connection between the bolster and runner comprising a stud connected to the bolster and entering a hole in the top of the arch, a pair of brackets embracing the arch, and a transverse bolt passed through the brackets just below the under surface of the arch and the lower end of said stud.

2. The herein described sled comprising a pair of bobs, each comprising a bolster and a pair of runners connected thereto, each run ner being formed of a bar of metal arched intermediate of its ends and pivetally connected to the bolster, such pivotal connection including a pair of brackets connected to the bolster and embracing the arch on opposite .sides thereof and a transverse bolt passed through the brackets and arch, a transverse plate spanning the arch below the bolt aforesaid, and a diagonal brace connected to said plate at one end and to an eye bolt connected to the bottom of the bolster at the other end.

3. The herein described bob sled comprising a pair of bobs each including a bolster and a pair of runners connected thereto for independent movement in vertical planes, a draft bar connected to each runner and embracing the same and provided on its forward end with an eye, said runner being formed with a slot receiving said eye, draft connections for each pair of runners including a cross bar provided with hooks engaging said eyes, andadjustable connections between the bobs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL S. DOOLITTLE.

Witnesses:

M. G. GARnIsoN, W. H. MELAY. 

